TROTTING Bracketed pair favoured

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32819, 20 January 1972, Page 6

TROTTING Bracketed pair favoured

There was good reason why the programme committee of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club steered away from the Johnny Globe Free-for-all as thte second leg of tomorrow night’s T.A.B. double.

The programme was changed because on paper the $3lOO sprint event for the top-class trotters looks like being a two-horse race and those two, Johnny Gee and Tony Bear, will be bracketed. The Templeton stablemates dominated the corresponding events at the club’s New Year meeting and with both having drawn favourably from behind the mobile barrier it looks very much as if the same situation will arise. More than likely they will finish first and second and the exact order will be of no concern to their, backers.

For those not prepared to accept fairly cramped odds it will be a question of trying to select which will be the strongest rival for Johnny Gee and Tony Bear.

If Marius decided to trot solidly all the way he would be a big chance. He finished first ahead of Johnny Gee and Tony Bear in a flying mile on the course on New Year’s night but subsequently lost the race for pacing in the run home.

Mighty Chief and Merrin must also command respect on their New Year form. The former paid a dividend on each night of the meeting and Merrin looked as if he might be in for the thick end of the stake until he broke, when leading, inside the last furlong of the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup on the second night. Although down to a walk before L. C. May managed to get him settled again, he still finished fourth. Arita and Aronmot might be hard pressed matching the best of the others on level

marks but Bambi’s best sprint run might get him some of the money. This freegoer will more than likely be, the pacemaker. He was successful with such tactics In the Worthy Queen Handicap, over tonight's distance, at tl)a New Zealand Cup meeting. Going and Just Money both likely to be at lucrative odds. The former undoubtedly has plenty of ability but she seems to reserve her best runs for grass tracks. At times Just Money hds shown quite a turn of speed in his races but the former Australian has not been running them out solidly. Philemon and Precocious, might both be stronger chances. Neither come into the “most reliable” category but their best is very good and the mobile barrier should ensure that they get on the journey correctly.